br> International Campaign for Labor Rights in Iraq
Barely two months have passed since the end of the war, and already the facts are there for all to see: The war waged against the people and nation of Iraq had nothing to do with democracy, the liberation of the Iraqi people, or so-called weapons of mass destruction. All these were just a pretext.
It is now clear that it was a war for oil, a war for domination of the region and the world, a war that threatens all countries and peoples. That is why we the undersigned who opposed the war say: "No to the Occupation of Iraq!" There can be no democracy if the Iraqi people do not have the right to freely determine their fate and establish their sovereignty over the resources and future of their country.
We issue this appeal to the international labor movement to organize in every country an International Campaign For Labor Rights in Iraq. As trade unionists and union officials of various origins and from countries all around the world, we mobilized -- together with millions of working people and their organizations the world over -- to say: "No to the War in Iraq!"
Together, we pledged that whatever the circumstances we would pursue the fight against the war, occupation, and destruction of labor and democratic rights in Iraq, and against the dislocation of the Iraqi nation -- and beyond that, of all nations.
On June 15, 2003, in Geneva, we came together at the initiative of the International Liaison Committee of Workers and Peoples (ILC). We heard a report on the situation of the workers and people of Iraq now under occupation: Baghdad and the entire country are facing a situation of total disarray. Unemployment is rampant as widespread vandalism, chaos and terror -- promoted deliberately by the occupation authorities -- have prevented the resumption of virtually all economic activity. Wages have not been paid. The privatization of public enterprises is under way.
The armies of the United States and Great Britain, armies of occupation, protect the interests of the U.S. multinational corporations, which are poised to super-exploit the Iraqi people without hindrance and to plunder the resources and wealth of the Iraqi nation.
We also heard a report from a representative of U.S. Labor Against War, a coalition that regroups trade unions representing several million trade unionists in the United States. USLAW organized this past February 19th an international press conference to present an International Declaration of Global Labor Against the War in Iraq. This declaration was supported by trade unions and federations representing 130 million unionists in 53 countries, all of whom came together on a world scale to speak out with one voice against the war.
USLAW has prepared a White Paper on the U.S. multinational corporations that have been awarded contracts in Iraq. This document presents in great detail the systematic denial and violation of labor rights, as well as the corruption and financial scandals that characterize the large bulk of these corporations. This report is being translated into Arabic, and will be brought to the attention of the Iraqi workers, who need to know the record of these corporations.
We also heard reports from the International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions (CISA), the United Trade Union Federation of the Arab Maghreb (USTMA), the General Union of Tunisian Workers (UGTT), the General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA), the Sudan Workers Trade Unions Federation (SWTUF), and the Committee of Working Women of Lebanon. They explained the dire consequences of the war and U.S. occupation in their own countries. The privatization drive implemented in the Arab countries these past years, for example, has already led to an increase in unemployment from 12 million to 19 million workers.
Once again, in this most difficult situation confronting workers and peoples everywhere, it is more than ever the task of the labor movement to unite and take action on a world scale to fight for labor rights, peace, and democracy.
Those who launched the war against the Iraqi people speak about democracy, but democracy requires that the workers be able to organize themselves freely. Democracy presupposes the existence of independent trade union organizations.
The workers of Iraq urgently need trade unions to fight for their interests. They must be able to organize themselves freely to build unions of their own choice. These basic labor rights, these anchors of democracy, have been codified in International Labor Organization (ILO) Conventions 87 and 98.
ILO Convention 87 concerning Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize stipulates:
"Each Member of the International Labor Organization for which this Convention is in force undertakes to give effect to the following provisions." (Article 1) "Workers and employers, without distinction whatsoever, shall have the right to establish and, subject only to the rules of the organization concerned, to join organizations of their own choosing without previous authorization." (Article 2) "Workers' and employers' organizations shall have the right to draw up their constitutions and rules, to elect their representatives in full freedom, to organize their administration and activities and to formulate their programs. The public authorities shall refrain from any interference which would restrict this right or impede the lawful exercise thereof." (Article 10)
ILO Convention 98 concerning the Application of the Principles of the Right to Organize and to Bargain Collectively stipulates:
"Workers shall enjoy adequate protection against acts of anti-union discrimination in respect of their employment." (Article 1) "Workers' and employers' organizations shall enjoy adequate protection against any acts of interference by each other or each other's agents or members in their establishment, functioning or administration." (Article 2)
This last Convention was ratified by the Iraqi government on November 27, 1962.
ILO Conventions 87 and 98 -- just as the other ILO Conventions -- must be ratified, translated into law and implemented for all Iraqi workers over the entire territory of Iraq. We affirm that no one can speak about democracy so long as these rights are not the law of the land.
Iraq has a long tradition of trade unionism and workers' rights codified in legislation. From 1919 to the beginning of the 1980s, Iraq ratified 66 ILO Conventions*. Will these be respected and implemented today?
Together, we have mobilized against the war. We are convinced that the international organization and mobilization against the war, particularly within the international trade union movement, points the way forward for the labor movement as a whole.
Together, on June 15, in Geneva, we hereby commit ourselves to organize this international mobilization and we state:
- The undermining and destruction through war of trade union and labor rights in Iraq, just like the planned destruction and plunder by the multinational corporations, are part and parcel of the generalized offensive which, under different forms, targets working people in every country.
- The right of workers to organize themselves freely knows no borders.
- The existence of independent unions is a cornerstone of democracy.
- The unity of working people the world over will forge the road to peace.
We believe it is necessary to unite our efforts with the goal of constituting an International Labor Delegation that will travel to Iraq on a fact-finding trip to evaluate the situation of the working class, labor rights and status of the trade union organizations. We have already learned that the first labor strikes and walk-outs have taken place. At the same time, the repression against trade union leaders has been unleashed, with a number of unionists now facing death threats.
Through this campaign, we seek to mobilize the support of the international labor movement for the workers of Iraq so that they can build the trade unions of their choice.
This initiative is not in competition with any other. We have learned that similar concerns to ours have already been expressed by various international organizations such as the International Labor Bureau of the ILO, the Workers' Group of the ILO, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), and Education International (EI), among others. Our initiative simply seeks to bring together the broadest forces in the framework of an international campaign for the defense of the ILO Conventions and for social justice, peace and democracy.
We issue this appeal to labor organizations throughout the world and call upon them to support this campaign so that together we can organize this fact-finding delegation to Iraq later this fall.
We, the undersigned, constitute ourselves as an Organizing Committee of this International Delegation. Our campaign is independent from all international institutions. It will seek support among workers and their trade union organizations the world over.
Amy Newell, National Organizer, US Labor Against War (USLAW); Alan Benjamin, Representative, San Francisco Labor Council, AFL-CIO (United States)
Hacene Djeman, General Secretary, International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions (CISA); Farouk Sourig, International Director, International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions (Syria); Abdelmajid Sahraoui, United Trade Union Federation of the Arab Maghreb (USTMA); Amar Takdjout, General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA); Louisa Hanoune, Spokesperson, Workers Party of Algeria; Subhi Toma, Iraqi antiwar activist; Khadye El Husaini, Committee of Working Women of Lebanon; Abdel Amir Nadja, Lebanon Workers General Confederation (CGTL); Ibrahim A. Gandour, Sudan Workers Trade Unions Federation (SWTUF); Mohamed Trabelsi, General Union of Tunisian Workers (UGTT); Mohamed Ben Henda, Tunisian Committee in Switzerland
Daniel Gluckstein, Coordinator, International Liaison Committee of Workers and Peoples; Olivier Doriane, Workers Party (France); Marie-Claude Schidlower, ILC Working Women Commission; Jean-Pierre Barrois, Antiwar activist (France); Luc Deley, Hosting Committee, International Conference in Defense of ILO Conventions (Switzerland); Alexandre Anor, Socialist Party member (Switzerland).
(Appeal Issued in Geneva, Switzerland on June 15, 2003)
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First Endorsers:
BELGIUM: Roberto Giarrocco, General Federation of Belgian Workers (FGTB).
BENIN: Marie-Antoinette Toudonou, President, Women's Committee of the Confederation of Workers of Benin (CSTB).
BRAZIL: Julio Turra, National Executive Board member, Unified Workers Federation of Brazil (CUT).
CHAD: Djibrine Assale Hamdallah, General Secretary, Confederation of Trade Unions of Chad (UST); Gami N'Garmadjal, General Secretary, National Union of Education Workers of Chad (SET).
COTE-D'IVOIRE/IVORY COAST: Fran?s Yao, General Secretary, National Union of Energy Workers (SYNASEG); C?ne Yassine, Deputy International Relations Secretary, National Union of Energy Workers (SYNASEG).
FRANCE: Jacques Paris, national education sector trade unionists; Pascal Grasso, trade unionist; Xavier Boiston, oil & chemical sector trade unionists; Eliane Juquel, trade unionist; Fran?s Le Pivert, trade unionist; V?nique P?rs, chemical sector trade unionist; Clarisse Delalondre, EDF energy sector trade unionist; Denis Langlet, metalworkers' sector trade unionist; Christian Savidan, community sector trade unionist; Jean Markun, trade unionist; Mich? Coullet, national education sector trade unionist; Jean-Charles Marquiset, trade unionist; Patrice Sifflet, trade unionist, Manifesto for Trade Union Independence; Jacques Girod, trade unionist; Marie Bordes, national education sector trade unionist; Daniel Chalier, healthcare sector trade unionist; Pascal Samouth, trade unionist; Christiane B¦uf, trade unionist; Mich? Simonnin, public sector trade unionist.
GABON: Maixent-Hubert Ndong Odzame, President, Confederation of Trade Unions of Gabon (CO.SY.GA); Camille Mombo-Mouelet, General Secretary, Federation of Mines and Energy Workers (FLEEMA).
GERMANY: Frey Henning, Ver.di; Karlheinz Gerhold, SPD, Ver.di; Klaus Sch?r, SPD, DGB Thuringe.
GUADELOUPE: Jocelyn Lapitre, MPTPG.
INDIA: H. Mahadevan, General Secretary, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC); Sharad Rao, General Secretary, MAZDOOR trade union federation.
JAPAN: Osamu Yomono, Vice President, National Rail Workers Union of Japan (JRU); Mari Takenouchi, JRU.
MEXICO: Raul Dominguez Alcala, General Secretary, Transportation Workers Union of Oaxaca (SUTCAO).
SPAIN: Jos?iguel Villa, General Secretary, FES, General Union of Workers of Madrid (UGT); Conrado Soria Garcia, UGT of Barcelona.
SWITZERLAND: Alain Charbonnier, Member of Parliament , Socialist Party; Fran?se Schenk-Gottret, Member of Parliament, Socialist Party; Claude and Pierrette Iseli, Union of Circles for Workers' Policies (UCPO); Michel Gindrat, UCPO; Adriano Crameri, General Secretary, SIB; Myriam Lonfat, Former Member of Parliament, SSP-VPOD; Max Robert, Public sector trade unionist (SSP); Simone Girodo, Public sector trade unionist (SSP); Rania Madi.
TOGO: T?vi Norbert Gbikpi-B?ssan, General Secretary, Federation of Independent Unions of Togo (UNSIT); Claude Ameganvi, Organizational Secretary, Workers Party of Togo.
TUNISIA: Halim Chaabane, Spokesperson, Iraq-Palestine Trade Union Solidarity Committee.
UNITED STATES: Paul Germanotta, European Support Committee, Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC, AFL-CIO); Claude Piller, Education sector trade unionist; Dan Kaplan, Delegate to June 15th Conference, California Federation of Teachers (CFT).
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?I Endorse this Declaration
[ X ] In a personal capacity
[ ] In the name of my union/organization
Name: Fred Hirsch
Address: 621 Carmel Street
City/Country/Postal Code: Santa Cruz, CA 95062
Email: fredsam@cruzio.com
Organization: Plumbers and Fitters Local 393
Title: Vice President
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Contact Information:
- US Labor Against War, PMB 153, 1718 M Street, NW Washington DC, 20036 (USA). E-mail: info@uslaboragainstwar.org
- International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions, PO BOX 3225, Damascus (Syria) Fax: 963-1144-20323. E-mail: icatu@net.sy **
- International Liaison Committee of Workers and Peoples, 87, rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis, 75010 Paris (France). Tel.: 331-4801-8828. Fax : 331-4801-8836. E-mail : eit.ilc@wanadoo.fr **
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End-Notes:
* Note: The current ILO official report lists Iraq as having adopted 66 ILO Conventions. In previous reports from the ILC, the figure of 57 Conventions was listed. It appears that in the initial count, ILO Conventions that had been updated in later years were not listed twice, accounting therefore for the smaller figure.
** Note: When dialing the phone and fax numbers above from the United States, you must first dial 011, which is the international long distance access code.
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